Showing posts with label Small Farm. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Small Farm. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
October!
October is finally here!!!!
My favorite month, in my favorite season.
I have had a great start to the month, and I hope that you have too!
I haven't had much time this year to work on any new farming skills, and I wasn't able to garden this year, but I have big plans for next year, and I still planning on widening my knowledge and being as self-sufficient as possible this Fall and Winter, starting with the harvest.
So as a start to my October, the twins and I went apple picking.
We ended up picking 105 lbs of apples, although 30 of those went to the restaurant, and 10 or so I gave to my mom, so I have about 60 lbs left to use for sauces, and rings, and pie filling.
Now I just have to figure out how to make room for all of the canned goods I will be making.
I also was able to spend some time on my boss' farm, learning to drive a tractor, and playing with chickens, and I finally was able to break in my boots.
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| Me holding "Freaky Eye" |
Be on the lookout for more posts on this blog, and if you are in the mood for a good cup of cocoa, check out my French Style Hot Chocolate recipe on my Bel Sogno blog.
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Oregon Small Farm Conference 2014
This year I am really trying to actively learn about and get involved in farming as much as I can, and as part of this goal I attended the Oregon Small Farm Conference on the 22nd of last month. I have been meaning to go the last couple years, but something always seems to come up to prevent me from going. This year, however, I made the extra effort and was able to go, and I am so glad that I did.
The day started by listening to keynote speaker Michael Ableman, who is a well known farmer, author, and sustainable agriculture advocate. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to him talk about his experiences running an organic orchard on a commune as a young man, as well as his work on his current farm, Foxglove Farm, his urban farming project in Vancouver B.C., Sole Food, and his beliefs about how the food and farming systems should be organized. I was enthralled with his speech, hanging onto his every word, and I probably could have listened to him all day. I think it was hard for me to comprehend though that there were actually people out there who thought so similarly to me and had so many of the same basic beliefs.
The rest of the day consisted of three different sessions (and a very tasty locally grown and catered lunch), during which you could learn about different farming-related topics of your choosing and ask questions. My first session was on the topic of community food systems, and centered around the importance small farms play in changing the way the food system is set up, supporting local economic growth, and in making healthy, fresh food more accessible to everyone. This topic coincided with the topic of my second session, selling directly to SNAP (supplemental nutrition assistance program) recipients, and I found their suggestions and ideas very useful, and many times rather creative. For instance, doubling the amount of produce that can be purchased with SNAP benefits (ex: $10 worth of produce with $5 worth of SNAP funds), and covering the difference with money collected from fundraisers, such as a "pie walk" at the farmers' market.
The third session I attended was on using draft animals in farming, mostly horses, which I very much enjoyed listening to, and through this I was able to finally get contacts of people who are experienced in using draft horses and offer training. I plan on focusing on draft power, as opposed to tractor power, when I finally get my farm going, and I have been trying to find someone who will train me in working with them, so this was definitely a highlight of my day.
The day ended with a capnote session made up of a panel of four farmers, including Michael Ableman, who answered questions and talked about profitability on the farm. I definitely was able to get some great information throughout the day, that I will actually be able to use on my journey to starting my own farm, and I also was able to get some good contacts for internships and training. Most importantly though, I was able to spend the day among people who were equally as passionate about this way of life as I am, and it greatly motivated me to work more actively towards my goals.
The day started by listening to keynote speaker Michael Ableman, who is a well known farmer, author, and sustainable agriculture advocate. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to him talk about his experiences running an organic orchard on a commune as a young man, as well as his work on his current farm, Foxglove Farm, his urban farming project in Vancouver B.C., Sole Food, and his beliefs about how the food and farming systems should be organized. I was enthralled with his speech, hanging onto his every word, and I probably could have listened to him all day. I think it was hard for me to comprehend though that there were actually people out there who thought so similarly to me and had so many of the same basic beliefs.
The rest of the day consisted of three different sessions (and a very tasty locally grown and catered lunch), during which you could learn about different farming-related topics of your choosing and ask questions. My first session was on the topic of community food systems, and centered around the importance small farms play in changing the way the food system is set up, supporting local economic growth, and in making healthy, fresh food more accessible to everyone. This topic coincided with the topic of my second session, selling directly to SNAP (supplemental nutrition assistance program) recipients, and I found their suggestions and ideas very useful, and many times rather creative. For instance, doubling the amount of produce that can be purchased with SNAP benefits (ex: $10 worth of produce with $5 worth of SNAP funds), and covering the difference with money collected from fundraisers, such as a "pie walk" at the farmers' market.
The third session I attended was on using draft animals in farming, mostly horses, which I very much enjoyed listening to, and through this I was able to finally get contacts of people who are experienced in using draft horses and offer training. I plan on focusing on draft power, as opposed to tractor power, when I finally get my farm going, and I have been trying to find someone who will train me in working with them, so this was definitely a highlight of my day.
The day ended with a capnote session made up of a panel of four farmers, including Michael Ableman, who answered questions and talked about profitability on the farm. I definitely was able to get some great information throughout the day, that I will actually be able to use on my journey to starting my own farm, and I also was able to get some good contacts for internships and training. Most importantly though, I was able to spend the day among people who were equally as passionate about this way of life as I am, and it greatly motivated me to work more actively towards my goals.
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Friday, April 19, 2013
The Self-Sufficiency Road to Retirement
Enjoy!
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Farmageddon
I recently got around to watching a few documentaries that I'd been meaning to watch, and I thought I would share reviews of them, in a series of posts. The documentary that I definitely had the biggest reaction to, was Farmageddon.
Farmageddon, delves into the corruption within the food industry, and the unjust way in which government officials have treated small farms and co-ops, many times without just cause, while hiding behind their claims to be working in the interest of public health. The events related in this documentary were definitely eye opening, and caused me at least to really become enraged with the way in which these people, and people like them are treated. No one, whether a government official or not, should have the right to go into a person's home or business and seize animals or products that make up their livelihood, without a dang good reason! And what makes me sick is the fact that the people who they attack are normal, hardworking people, who are trying to make an honest living, and end up having everything taken from them, without even a valid explanation. I am really amazed sometimes that people can be so heartless. It's almost as if the power that these officials have desensitizes them, and makes them able to separate themselves from the people whose lives they are destroying. What is the point of spending millions of dollars on building cases on innocent people, or removing and killing their healthy, disease-free animals? Small farms should not be punished just because the USDA doesn't do their job monitoring or inspecting foods from factory or industrial farms.
I would consider this documentary a must see, and would recommend it to anyone, whether they are interested in farming and food, or not. It is an excellent film and does a very good job of getting the point across.
I would consider this documentary a must see, and would recommend it to anyone, whether they are interested in farming and food, or not. It is an excellent film and does a very good job of getting the point across.
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